Pakistan has introduced sweeping new restrictions on foreign journalists, significantly expanding government oversight of international media operating inside the country. The new regulations require journalists working for foreign news organizations to register with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and obtain prior government approval before conducting reporting outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. For international correspondents covering one of South Asia’s most strategically important countries, the rules represent one of the most restrictive media frameworks introduced in recent years.

Under the new Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines, not only foreign correspondents but also local journalists, freelancers, fixers and production companies working with international media fall under the new registration system. Reporting, documentary production and even social media content outside Pakistan’s three largest cities now require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the government. Critics argue that this effectively allows Islamabad to determine where foreign journalists can travel and what events they are able to cover independently.

The timing has attracted particular attention. The regulations were introduced amid heightened tensions in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where protests, political unrest and........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)